Discrimination between poultry eggs on the basis of some observable quality is a well-known and long-used practice in the poultry industry. “Candling” is a common name for one such technique, a term which has its roots in the original practice of inspecting an egg using the light from a candle. Eggs which are to be hatched to live poultry are typically candled during embryonic development to identify clear, rotted, and dead eggs (collectively referred to herein as “non-live eggs”). It is a common practice to remove non-live eggs from live eggs to increase available incubator space, to reduce the risk of contamination, and to save vaccine costs related to in ovo inoculations.
Conventionally, eggs designated as non-live are removed either by hand or via an automated egg removal device. Automated egg removal devices conventionally employ suction-type lifting devices as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,063 or in U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,003 to Keromnes et al. The poultry industry is constantly looking for improved ways of separating live and non-live eggs that are efficient, that reduce costs, and that reduce the risk of contamination to live eggs.